


one kiss at a time

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Fluff, Jealousy, M/M, Uncertainty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22370965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: “Everyone's a little in love with him.”
Relationships: Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 38
Kudos: 1046





	one kiss at a time

**Author's Note:**

> aren't we all a little in love with zag

They're drinking together, the three of them, when Zagreus runs by. 

Nothing out of the ordinary really, he talks to them, all smiles, and discreetly slides an amber bottle to Hypnos, runs a hand across Megaera's shoulders and lingers by Thanatos' side for a few second, warm and pleasant enough that Than almost smiles, before he pivots on his heel to talk to Dusa and the Broker. If he leans back in his seat, Than can see Zagreus talking to Nyx. 

“He's great huh?” Hypnos sighs, sounding very- what is that- and leaning on the table.

“He's fine.” Meg sighs and sounds much more irritated. “That's contraband, and I'm confiscating it.” 

“Huh- Wait-” But the bottle is already in Meg's hand. “No fair- that's my Zag gift, not yours- Thanatos!” Meg just arcs a brow in his direction. 

“I'm not aiding and abating criminals.” He says and Hypnos slumps on the table, whining. 

“Come on- it's not fair that he's into the both of you- the rest of us have to subsist on-” 

“Okay, that's enough.” Megaera says just as Lord Hades shouts for him in the main hall. “Go do your job.” 

Hypnos goes, moping the entire way. His list forgotten on the table. 

“What was that about?” 

“What was what about.” Meg looks at him for a while, then uncorks the bottle and pours some of it into Than's glass. She pushes it towards him and after a moment he of confusion he drinks. It's warming, all the way down to his bones. Thinking about what Zagreus had to do to find it warms him too, some what. “You know that everyone likes him right?” 

“I thought everyone was annoyed with him.” Which made sense, what with the abandonment. 

“Everyone's a little in love with him.” Than blinks, face heating. Some minor part of him still wants to say he still isn't but that's a point less lie to try and spin to Meg of all people. Everyone though- certainly not.

“You're projecting.” 

“Than.” She seems offended even at the suggestion. “Think about it.” 

He doesn't want to. 

Their relationship, his and Zag's is new and tentative and too much like a new born on shaky trembling legs to really think about it.

“I've been away for awhile.” Things change, he means. Meg doesn't look amused, presumably because she doesn't have the luxury of being called to the surface. His own mounting affection for Zagreus was harder and harder to ignore too, especially when Zag constantly being around. It's almost as if he isn't really trying to get out, but Than knows that's not true. 

He's know about Dusa having a crush because the entire House knows that Dusa has a crush, but he doesn't want to dwell on the way that the shades great him, the way Hypnos always brightens up when ever it's Zagreus that comes out of the pool, the way the court musician sang literal songs about him- 

“Yeah.” Meg says and pours him a little more nectar. “That's the face I was waiting for.” 

“All of them-” 

“I wouldn't be all that surprised if some of the gods weren't at least a little interested too. You know how they're like.”

Thantos finishes the rest of his drink quickly and picks up his scythe. 

It's easy to feign the call of war to anyone at any time but the way Megaera sighs, he's pretty sure he isn't fooling her at all. 

…

He's not following Zagreus. 

He isn't- really he isn't. But it's easy to hide and listen in to Aphrodite's shameless flirting, and the way that Ares and Artemis both compliment his brutality, and the way Dionysus and Hermes both please for his quick arrival. Meg had told him about how Zagreus always seemed to find time to distract Sisyphus from his punishment but she failed to mentions how the prisoner in Asphodel would cook for him or how Achilles' husband would take time out of his rambling. 

Some quiet poison settles into the back of his mind, whispering how Zagreus would so easily find comfort in the hands of apparent thousands. 

How was he supposed to compete? He knew that Zagreus and Megaera had a history that maybe wasn't that distant but when Than stopped glowering quiet so much he and Meg got along fair enough. And besides, Zagreus wanted different things from Meg- but it was just Meg before. 

Now all of a sudden everyone's noticed how good Zagreus is. 

“Than?” 

The fields in Elysium are always comfortably cool, a gentle breeze under shaded trees. The light filters through gently, enough that the copious ornamentation glitters brightly. It's relatively quiet, for the most part, occasional battle cries carried on the wind but peaceful. 

A perfect place to have an emotional breakdown in front of you crush.

“What?” He snaps and regrets it almost immediately. He lowers down, feet settling on the grass. 

“You- okay? If you're not I got this place-” Than is almost scared to look at him, because Zagreus isn't stupid, full hardy escape attempts aside, and if he sees Than's face, he'll know. He'll know immediately and then try and console him and that would make him look even worse and- “Than?” 

He almost snaps out a what again, but then Zagreus is touching his hand, his fingers rough with years of fighting and warm from his current pointless exercise. When Thanatos doesn't react, keeps staring at the statues in the field, Zagreus pushes his hand into Thantos' grasp, locks their fingers together and squeezes. 

“You don't have to.” 

“Did I do something wrong?” He's close now, closer even, and heat radiates off of him in waves. “More wrong, rather.” And he laughs a little bit and Thanatos' sigh gets caught in his throat. 

“Nothing.” It comes out shaky. “Just thinking about work.” 

“Whatever you say,” But he doesn't let go. Instead, Zagreus runs his thumb over Than's hand, delicate as anything. “Will it make you feel better if I let you win?” And he laughs again and finally, Thanatos can't take it and turns his head. 

His smile is radiant. 

“I let you win every time, Zagreus. You need the confidence boost.” 

“I'm plenty confident, Than.” 

He wants to say something, he even opens his mouth, but then Zagreous closes the remaining inches and kisses him, light and sweet and just the way he knows Thanatos likes. 

His mind is clear for the first time in hours. 

Blessed silence.

“Too confident.” Thanatos says, but his voice is barely a whisper and Zag is still grinning and his face is warming up and it takes every single fiber of his being to stop from flashing all the way up to the surface. 

“You like when I'm confident.” 

Yes. 

Yes, he really does. 

**Author's Note:**

> comments always very very appreciated
> 
> find me on[ tumblr ](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/) and [ twitter](https://twitter.com/miurmiurmiur)


End file.
